Glutamate and GABA

Question 1

Is glutamate excitatory or inhibitory?

Answer 1

Excitatory.

Question 2

What does glutamine synthase do?

Answer 2

Converts glutamate into glutamine.

Question 3

What does glutaminase do?

Answer 3

Converts glutamine into glutamate.

Question 4

What does transaminase convert glutamate into?

Answer 4

Alpha-oxoglutarate.

Question 5

How is glutamate transported into a vesicle?

Answer 5

Active transport.

Question 6

State the two types of receptors glutamate acts on.

Answer 6

Inotropic receptors. Metabotropic receptors.

Question 7

NMDA, AMPA and Karinate are all types of which receptors?

Answer 7

Ionotropic receptors.

Question 8

What are metabotropic receptors?

Answer 8

G-protein coupled receptors.

Question 9

Where is acetylcholine broken down?

Answer 9

Outside the cell.

Question 10

Is glutamate broken down inside or outside the cell?

Answer 10

Inside the cell.

Question 11

What does EAAT stand for?

Answer 11

Excitatory amino acid transporter. Ensures re-uptake of glutamate back into the cell.

Question 12

What happens to glutamate in glia (non-neuronal cells)?

Answer 12

Converted by glutamine synthase into glutamine.

Question 13

Name 2 drugs that act on NMDA receptors.

Answer 13

Ketamine. Memantine.

Question 14

What is the role of memantine?

Answer 14

Competitive antagonist used to treat Alzheimer’s disease (reduce neurodegeneration).

Question 15

What is the role of perampanel?

Answer 15

Non-competitive antagonist. Anti-epipleptic drug.

Question 16

What is the function of ketamine?

Answer 16

Anesthesia. Pain relief.

Question 17

What is the use of phencyclidine (angel dust)?

Answer 17

Recreational drug - creates hallucinations.

Question 18

Is GABA excitatory or inhibitory?

Answer 18

Inhibitory.

Question 19

What is pre-cursor for GABA?

Answer 19

Glutamate. Using enzyme GAD (glutamic acid decarboxylase).

Question 20

GABA is transported into vesicle for storage via what transporter?

Answer 20

vGABAT - vesicular GABA transporter.

Question 21

When GABA binds to ionotropic receptors, what anion channel is opened?

Answer 21

Chloride ion channel.

Question 22

What GABA receptors couples to Gi & Go G-proteins?

Answer 22

Metabotropic G-protein coupled receptor - activated by GABA.

Question 23

What cells surround neurones and provide support for and insulation between them?

Answer 23

Glial cells.

Question 24

What are the 4 types of glial cells?

Answer 24

Oligodendrocytes. Astrocytes. Ependymal cells. Schwann cells. Microglia. Satellite cells.

Question 25

What are the transporters GAT1 and GAT3 used for?

Answer 25

GABA re-uptake.

Question 26

What enzymes degrades GABA in glial cells?

Answer 26

Succinic semialdehyde.

Question 27

Name the drug that blocks the transporter of GABA into the neurone.

Answer 27

Tiagabine - epilepsy.

Question 28

Name the drug that blocks the degradation of GABA.

Answer 28

Vigabatrine - treat epilepsy.

Question 29

Muscimol, bicuclline, picrotoxin, benzodiazepines, ethanol, propofol all act on which type of GABA receptors.

Answer 29

GABAa (ionotropic receptors).

Question 30

Baclofen and saclofen all act on which GABA receptors.

Answer 30

GABAb (metabotropic receptors).

Question 31

State a recreational drug acting on the GABA receptor.

Answer 31

Barbiturates ‘downers.’ Nitrous oxide ‘laughing gas.’